Death of a Rivalry: Something lost when Taunton and Bridgewater-Raynham don't meet

Sunday

Apr 27, 2014 at 12:01 AMApr 29, 2014 at 8:27 AM

After squaring off for nearly 30 years, the two schools have played each other just once since 2012, despite being neighbors, similar sized, and sporting a rivalry that goes back generations.

Benjamin Paulin The Patriot Ledger @BPaulin_Ledger

For Madi Shaw, no game surpassed the matchup with Taunton.The senior softball player for Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School would target the date from the first day of the season – as would parents and players from both districts.

“The rivalry was great,” said Shaw. “When I made the team freshman year, that’s what I looked forward to. It was a rivalry when my parents were in school, when my older cousins were in school. Everyone talked about it. It was our biggest crowd game. Everyone from all over came because it was what it was: B-R versus Taunton.”

Not any more.

After squaring off for nearly 30 years, the two schools have played each other just once since 2012, despite being neighbors, similar sized, and sporting a rivalry that goes back generations.

The last time the two schools played each other was a softball tournament pairing in the 2013 quarterfinals of the Division 1 South Sectional. B-R won that game 7-1, but lost the sectional final to Milford. Not counting tournament play, the two schools have not had a regularly scheduled game for years in any sport.

Even though Taunton moved to the Hockomock League in 2012, the reasons for the rift vary, depending on whom you talk to – or who talks at all. For three decades, the two schools were in the Old Colony League but, despite now being in separate leagues, the schools can still add each other to their schedules.

B-R athletic director and varsity football coach Dan Buron said he would welcome the opportunity to play, scrimmage or practice against Taunton teams but that Taunton athletic director Mark Ottavianelli has decided against it.

“We had a great relationship for 30 years. They got into a new league. Their athletic director has made a decision that he doesn’t want to play us in anything, so we’ve moved on,” Buron said.

An incident as recently as February, as well as several others, may shed light on the strained relationship between the schools.

Over February vacation, Taunton boys basketball coach Charlie Dacey invited Bridgewater-Raynham to come scrimmage at their school. But according to Buron, Ottavianelli told Dacey to cancel the invitation to B-R.

“I got a call (Feb. 19) saying we’re not allowed to go. End of story, we didn’t go,” Buron said. “I know the response coming out of Taunton is that it was a scheduling conflict in the gym. It was not what I was told. We would play them in a heartbeat. But you’re told ‘no’ so many times, so you don’t go calling over there.”

A 2009 incident might have also divided the schools. After a football game that year between the two schools, with the league title at stake, a skirmish broke out, reportedly involving coaches and players from both sides, according to Taunton Daily Gazette archives.

Buron, the head football coach at the time, said he didn’t recall the incident but said, “There’s many contests where afterwards people are emotional. But you move on. There’s no hard feelings here.”

B-R varsity baseball coach John Kearney said scheduling games is tougher since Taunton moved to a 12-team league, leaving B-R in a league with only three teams.

“With the size of the Hockomock League … they’re not able to schedule us,” Kearney said. “I can understand that. But why there has been a reluctance, let’s put it officially as a reluctance, by the Taunton athletic staff to scrimmage us I don’t get that.”

Sought for comment several times, Ottavianelli would only refer all questions to Taunton School Superintendent Julie Hackett.

Asked why requests for comment must go through the superintendent, when Ottavianelli has been quoted in other published stories not on this issue, he hung up on an Enterprise reporter.

Hackett responded to inquiries through email.

“It is our protocol to refer all press inquiries to the superintendent of schools. If you saw other quotes in the recent past, they most likely involve good news stories about Taunton Public Schools,” she wrote.

“It’s unfortunate that there is an interest in drudging up issues from (2009). Our focus should be on the student-athletes and helping them reach their potential – not on resurrecting issues of the past. We have an excellent relationship with Bridgewater-Raynham.”

Approached on the softball practice field at Taunton High School, head softball coach David Lewry said he was not allowed to comment, per orders of Hackett.

“We’ve been told, ‘No comment,’” he said. “We’ve been told.”

Lewry also wouldn’t let a reporter talk to players on his team.

Taunton School Committee member Jordan Fiore was asked if it is a policy within the district to only respond to “good news stories about Taunton Public Schools” and he said that was not the case. Fiore also acknowledged “issues” between Buron and Ottavianelli.

“I don’t know what the specific problems between the athletic directors of the schools are,” he said. “I think that would be why the superintendent (Hackett) would be quiet about it. It might involve personnel issues and that’s why she isn’t talking about it.”

TOMORROW: Coaches and players from both schools are eager to renew the rivalry.

Benjamin Paulin may be reached at bpaulin@enterprisenews.com.

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